CV Tag: Start-up Network

  • Three start-ups join the Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    Three start-ups join the Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network is expanding, admitting three new members: Feyer, Ontic Labs, and oneAI. These start-ups are using bold ideas and groundbreaking technologies to shape the future of AI and robotics in Baden-Württemberg.

    Feyer

    Feyer is building a European frontier AI lab for automated physical invention. The team develops AI systems designed to explore complex physical design spaces and create new technological solutions, with potential applications across areas such as photonics, precision instrumentation, and quantum technologies.

    The company emerged from the research group of Mario Krenn, Professor at the Cluster of Excellence “Machine Learning: New Perspectives for Science” at the University of Tübingen. The founding team consists of Jonathan Klimesch, Sören Arlt, and Mario Krenn and has already reached an exciting milestone: Feyer was selected as one of ten teams for the first stage of SPRIND’s Next Frontier AI Challenge, together with Ontic Labs.

    Ontic Labs

    Ontic Labs is building a foundation model for physical intelligence, giving machines a working understanding of how the physical world behaves.

    The Tübingen-based startup develops physics-aware world models that enable machines and robots to perceive, predict, and act in complex real-world environments. Its approach brings states, actions, and sensor data into a shared representation, allowing physical properties such as contact, forces, and object coherence to emerge from training rather than being manually programmed. The goal: a single world model that can transfer across robots, embodiments, tasks, and environments.

    Founded by Omid Taheri, Mikel Zhobro, Georg Martius, Wieland Brendel, and Gerard Pons-Moll, Ontic Labs brings together expertise from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the University of Tübingen, the Tübingen AI Center, and the ELLIS Institute Tübingen. The team was also selected as one of ten teams in SPRIND’s Next Frontier AI Challenge.

    SPRIND’s Next Frontier AI Challenge

    The two start-ups from Tübingen are among just ten teams across Europe that have been selected and will receive €3 million to develop technologies beyond today’s AI models. Of the three selected teams from Germany, two originate from the Cyber Valley ecosystem in Baden-Württemberg as spin-outs from several of Cyber Valley’s academic partners, including the ELLIS Institute Tübingen, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Tübingen AI Center, and the University of Tübingen. Their success highlights the growing momentum with which AI research is being translated into innovative companies and how excellent AI research from Baden-Württemberg is playing a key role in the European race for frontier AI models.

    Read more about the success story here:
    https://cyber-valley.de/en/news/two-cyber-valley-start-ups-selected-to-shape-europe-s-frontier-ai-future

    oneAI

    As AI adoption accelerates across organizations, questions around governance, security, compliance, and control are becoming increasingly important. oneAI is addressing exactly this challenge: enabling companies and public organizations to use AI securely, transparently, and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

    The start-up is a spin-out from relyon AG, already part of the Cyber Valley Corporate Network, demonstrating Baden-Württemberg’s powerful research-to-innovation pipeline. Mirko Tochtermann, Founder & CTO of oneAI, shared his perspective on secure AI adoption and governance at one of our latest Cyber Valley IMPULSE events.

    The research-to-market journeys of these start-ups highlight how transferring academic expertise into application leads to tangible impact, powering industry and driving Europe’s sustainable future. Cyber Valley is delighted to welcome these three start-ups to its community!

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network brings together more than 100 innovative AI and robotics start-ups across Baden-Württemberg, forming a strong and growing entrepreneurial community within one of Europe’s leading AI and robotics ecosystems. The network spans a broad range of applications and industries, from foundational AI technologies to applied and industry-specific solutions. Connected through their close ties to Cyber Valley, members benefit from access to world-class research, industry partners, investors, and public stakeholders, jointly strengthening the region’s AI and robotics ecosystem.

  • Computomics raises EUR 6.3 Mio to scale climate-smart plant breeding

    Computomics raises EUR 6.3 Mio to scale climate-smart plant breeding

    Computomics GmbH, a member of the Cyber Valley Start-up Network since 2020, has raised EUR 6.3 million in new equity in a Series B financing round led by Convent Capital Agri Food Fund, which invested EUR 5 million. Existing investors including High-Tech Gründerfonds, MBG Baden-Württemberg and Amathaon Capital participated, alongside founders and scientific advisors. The proceeds will be used to scale commercial delivery of the company’s climate-smart breeding platform. 

    Computomics was founded in 2012 as a spin-off of the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen. Its team comprises leading experts in machine learning, plant breeding, and bioinformatics.  

    Computomics builds machine learning models that predict how a given genotype will perform under a given set of conditions, combining genomic data with environmental data such as temperature, rainfall and soil, and with field measurements. Breeders use the predictions to answer questions that trial data alone cannot answer in time: which candidates hold up under hotter and drier conditions, which are stable across environments rather than strong in one, and where a variety should be placed. Its ×SeedScore® platform runs those predictions at the scale of a commercial breeding program. Customers include commercial breeders working in field crops, forages, vegetables and specialty crops. 

    “Breeders have never lacked ambition about climate resilience. What they have lacked is a way to see it before the field tells them, which takes years they no longer have,” said Dr. Sebastian J. Schultheiss, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Computomics. “This financing is about getting that capability into far more breeding programs, faster.” 

    Read the full article here: https://www.computomics.com/news-reader/eur-6.3-million-raised.html  

  • Another milestone for AI from the Stuttgart region

    Another milestone for AI from the Stuttgart region

    The future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is taking an important step forward in the heart of Baden-Württemberg: the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) is joining the ‘KI-D@ARENA2036-X” program as a new partner, contributing its expertise and computing capacity. 

    The program is jointly driven by ARENA2036, Cyber Valley GmbH, DeepScenario, waveye, and the Technical Information and Communication Services of the University of Stuttgart (TIK).

    With HLRS joining the initiative, the program gains an important new partner. This collaboration provides access to the infrastructure project HammerHAI. Starting in mid-year, extensive AI computing resources will be available across the entire development chain—from smaller systems directly integrated into machines or devices to powerful high-performance computing systems. This will make it possible to train and deploy very large and complex AI models.

    Infrastructure designed to accelerate AI development

    As part of the initiative, the partners are building an open IT and data infrastructure, including access to a data space for the sovereign exchange of data. The goal is to provide companies with easy access to powerful resources for AI applications—from the initial idea to practical deployment within companies. At the center of this effort is the networking of AI systems and data. Companies will be able to use the provided infrastructure without having to build large technical systems themselves. Access will be offered at competitive costs. Start-ups as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will particularly benefit, strengthening their innovative capacity and competitiveness.

    This will create a scalable, transparent, and collaboratively designed system in Baden-Württemberg. Instead of a black-box approach, the project deliberately focuses on an open infrastructure.

    This infrastructure is built on three key components:

    Integrating own hardware

    Companies can integrate their own computing hardware, allowing them to flexibly expand available computing capacity and address individual requirements.

    Shared data space

    A scalable, collaborative data space with marketplaces enables different organizations to work together on datasets, AI models, and concrete use cases.

    High-performance computing with HammerHAI

    Powerful high-performance computing resources enable the training and deployment of particularly large AI models.

     

    A program that accelerates companies

    Participating companies in the ‘KI-D@ARENA2036-X’ program benefit from practical access to powerful AI infrastructure and a strong innovation network.

    The program offers, among other things:

    • the opportunity to test and implement new ideas and proof-of-concepts without high upfront investments
    • access to powerful high-performance IT without having to operate their own data center
    • professional exchange with other AI developers facing similar technological challenges
    • a real-world testing environment at ARENA2036 that brings together requirements from different industries

    This means the program not only supports companies in their projects—it actively accelerates the development and implementation of new AI applications.

    Voices from the project team

    Prof. Dr. Peter Middendorf, Rector of the University of Stuttgart:

    “The IT and data infrastructure of ‘KI-D@ARENA2036-X’ is another important building block in our innovation ecosystem. The University of Stuttgart contributes to the success of this project through its Technical Information and Communication Services and as a partner of ARENA2036. I am therefore particularly pleased that the High-Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS) is now joining as another strong partner. With its powerful computing infrastructure, HLRS will support companies and start-ups in testing and optimizing state-of-the-art AI applications.”

    Dr. Alexander Lahl, Regional Director of the Verband Region Stuttgart:

    “Together with the HammerHAI infrastructure project, an important nucleus for AI development is emerging in the region. Start-ups and especially small and medium-sized enterprises will benefit greatly from this initiative. Through our support, we are significantly strengthening the Stuttgart Region as a location for AI applications and data infrastructures. At the same time, this project highlights the importance of collaboration across research, industry, and regional partners.”

    Michael Kaiser, Managing Director of Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS):

    “The collaboration between ‘KI-D@ARENA2036-X’ and HLRS and its European AI Factory HammerHAI is another important building block for the AI ecosystem of the Stuttgart Region. It enables companies to train and use very large AI models using efficient high-performance computers—without having to operate their own data center. This opens up new opportunities in AI development and application, especially for small and medium-sized companies.”

    Angelina Jukic, Program Manager at Cyber Valley GmbH:

    “Our goal within the KI-D@ARENA2036-X program is to create a highly connected ecosystem that brings together research, start-ups, and industry. This will make the development and training of AI models more efficient. HammerHAI is one of Germany’s leading AI computing infrastructures and works together with ARENA2036 on forward-looking solutions.”

     

    Project status and outlook

    Following the successful establishment of the basic infrastructure during the first year of the project, the program will enable operational access to the available computing and data resources in 2026.

    About the KI-D@ARENA2036-X program

    The KI-D@ARENA2036-X program is jointly implemented by ARENA2036, Cyber Valley GmbH, DeepScenario, waveye, and the Technical Information and Communication Services (TIK) of the University of Stuttgart. The goal is to build a collaborative infrastructure that accelerates AI innovation in Baden-Württemberg while ensuring security, transparency, and long-term economic sustainability.

    The program is funded by the Verband Region Stuttgart within the Co-Financing Program for Artificial Intelligence from 2024 to 2027 with a total of €685,000.

    Presscontact:

    Silke Dutz

    Public Outreach Manager      

    Email: silke.dutz@cyber-valley.de   

  • Cyber Valley and UTokyo IPC Announce Yugen Space as Winner of ‘Valley and Sunrise’ – Market Exploration Program

    Cyber Valley and UTokyo IPC Announce Yugen Space as Winner of ‘Valley and Sunrise’ – Market Exploration Program

    STUTTGART/TÜBINGEN, TOKYO, March 3, 2026 – Cyber Valley GmbH und UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. have announced Yugen Space as the winner of the ‘Valley and Sunrise’ Program’s first edition.

    The ‘Valley and Sunrise’ Program empowers start-ups working in AI and robotics to find entry into the Japanese market. Driven by its goal of fostering international growth, the program offers participants hands-on mentorship, strategic insights, and access to UTokyo IPC’s network of industry leaders and partners.

    ‘We designed Valley and Sunrise to help talented founders accelerate their impact,’ said Angelina Jukic, Program Manager of Valley and Sunrise at Cyber Valley GmbH. ‘The quality of applications was exceptional, and our judges were impressed with how Yugen Space combined a bold vision with real-world traction.’

    Yugen Space was selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants for its innovative approach as well as its strong market potential. The start-up was founded by Anand Waghmare (CEO) and Parikshit Joshi (CTO) in June 2025 and has its headquarters in Tübingen. Yugen Space’s mission is to build the intelligence engine for satellite-driven decisions.

    Yugen Space combines raw satellite imagery and real-world decisions. It integrates multi-source satellite data, applies scientific and machine learning models, and converts planetary signals into decision-ready intelligence. Users select a location, ask a question, and receive decision-ready insights within minutes. 

    Over the course of the program, Yugen Space will work closely with mentors and industry experts to refine its market strategy and develop a roadmap for scaling its products and services.

    Anand Waghmare, CEO of Yugen Space:

    ‘Being selected for the Valley and Sunrise program is a pivotal milestone for Yugen Space. It allows us to bridge two of the world’s most advanced AI and deep-tech ecosystems: Cyber Valley here in Germany and UTokyo IPC in Japan. For us, this is a vital opportunity to scale our mission of democratizing planetary intelligence internationally. We look forward to working with Japanese industry leaders to prove how our products can solve complex environmental and industrial challenges on a global scale.’ 

    Hideki Nagasaka, Partner and Director, 1stRound, UTokyo IPC:

    ‘This selection marks a meaningful milestone in the collaboration framework we have steadily built between Japan and Germany over the years. We are confident that this milestone will serve as a critical step for Yugen Space as it accelerates its business development with a clear view toward expansion into the Japanese market. Through this initiative, we hope not only to contribute to the continued growth of the German innovation community, including Cyber Valley, but also to further deepen the ties between the German and Japanese ecosystems. We remain committed to strengthening the Japan-Germany network and advancing sustainable, long-term collaboration.‘

    For more information about Valley and Sunrise and future opportunities, visit: https://cyber-valley.de/en/websites/cyber-valley/pages/valley-and-sunrise-program/

    About UTokyo IPC

    UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC) is a venture capital firm wholly owned by the University of Tokyo, established in 2016 to strengthen Japan’s global industrial competitiveness through startup investment and ecosystem building. As a public–private venture capital firm, UTokyo IPC has invested in more than 80 university-affiliated startups and venture funds both in Japan and overseas. Beyond investment, UTokyo IPC operates the Startup Building Program, which supports the commercialization of research outcomes; 1stRound, Japan’s largest academia-linked accelerator; and DeepTech Dive, a program dedicated to cultivating deep-tech talent. In 2024, UTokyo IPC launched the ASA Fund under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s initiative to promote global collaboration and establish Japan as a hub for deep-tech innovation.

    About Cyber Valley

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.

    Media Contact

    Silke Dutz, Cyber Valley GmbH: silke.dutz@cyber-valley.de

    Akiko Tsuchiya, UTokyo IPC: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp

  • Cyber Valley Start-up Meshcapade draws Epic Games to Tübingen

    Cyber Valley Start-up Meshcapade draws Epic Games to Tübingen


    Meshcapade has been acquired by Epic Games. As part of the acquisition, Epic Games is establishing a presence in Cyber Valley. The Meshcapade team will join Epic’s AI research team, contributing to technologies for Unreal Engine and MetaHuman.

    Meshcapade, is a spin-off of the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) in Tübingen and one of the earliest members of the Cyber Valley Start-up Network. The start-up develops advanced technologies for the creation and animation of digital humans. Founded in 2018, the start-up received the inaugural Max Planck Startup Award from the Stifterverband in 2022. Epic Games is a U.S. game developer and creator of Unreal Engine, a game development technology. 

    Meshcapade’s technology builds on the Institute’s SMPL (Skinned Multi-Person Linear) body model, a highly realistic 3D representation of the human body trained on thousands of 3D scans. Licensed through Max Planck Innovation, the technology transfer arm of the Max Planck Society, SMPL has become the de facto standard for 3D human representation in both academia and industry. The technology was developed by co-founders Naureen Mahmood and Talha Zaman together with Michael J. Black, Director of Perceiving Systems at MPI-IS. 

    The Meshcapade team will now join Epic Games, which is opening a new office in Tübingen. This move strengthens Epic’s presence in Cyber Valley, one of Europe’s leading AI innovation ecosystems, and underscores the region’s role as a hub for cutting-edge research and industry collaboration in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and digital human technologies. 

    Read the full news story from the Max Planck Society here:

    https://www.mpg.de/26082348/max-planck-spin-off-meshcapade-draws-epic-games-to-tuebingen

  • DenkBox, kausable, and polybot join the Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    DenkBox, kausable, and polybot join the Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    Cyber Valley welcomes three new members to its Start-up Network: DenkBox, kausable, and polybot. These start-ups are using bold ideas and groundbreaking technologies to shape the future of AI and robotics in Baden-Württemberg.

    polybot envisions unlocking a sustainable future for humanity’s food production. The start-up builds small, dexterous robots that can perform a variety of complex, labor-intensive tasks, like weeding, precision pruning, and harvesting delicate crops like tomatoes and cucumbers. By automating manual fieldwork, polybot helps farmers address labor shortages while boosting long-term productivity and sustainability.

    DenkBox uses the latest open-source LLMs to provide a locally hosted AI chatbot. The start-up puts its users’ privacy first: it does not require connection to an external cloud, ensuring full compliance with GDPR. Meanwhile, DenkBox offers access to state-of-the-art open-source LLMs. The start-up offers both hardware and software from a single source, requiring minimal IT configuration that integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructures.


    kausable is pioneering a new reasoning-first approach to AI, moving beyond pattern-based large language models. Their agentic AI learns in-context from only a few examples, opens new domains without retraining, and generalizes across tasks and modalities. Backed by leading investors such as Mätch VC, LDV Partners, and experts from Black Forest Labs, kausable is building efficient, general-purpose intelligence that is made in Europe.


    The Cyber Valley Community is excited to welcome DenkBox, kausable, and polybot to its growing ecosystem. These start-ups are strengthening Cyber Valley’s mission to unite groundbreaking science with innovation and technology transfer to solve real-world problems.

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network brings together more than 90 innovative AI and robotics start-ups across Baden-Württemberg, forming a strong and growing entrepreneurial community within one of Europe’s leading AI and robotics ecosystems. The network spans a broad range of applications and industries, from foundational AI technologies to applied and industry-specific solutions. Connected through their close ties to Cyber Valley, members benefit from access to world-class research, industry partners, investors, and public stakeholders, jointly strengthening the region’s AI and robotics ecosystem.

  • Call for applications: Next Frontier AI

    Call for applications: Next Frontier AI

    The goal is clear: to ensure Europe is not only a user of advanced AI systems, but a creator of the next generation of AI technologies.

    Why Next Frontier AI?

    While Europe leads in AI research and adoption, many of today’s frontier AI systems are developed and scaled elsewhere. Next Frontier AI addresses this gap by supporting teams willing to take high-risk, high-impact bets on what comes after today’s dominant AI paradigms. Rather than prescribing what the “next frontier” should be, the initiative invites researchers and builders to define it themselves – whether through new algorithms, training paradigms, data modalities, architectures, or entirely new approaches to AI.

    A challenge-based approach

    Next Frontier AI follows a challenge-based funding model designed to maximize experimentation and learning:

    • €125M in total challenge funding
    • Initial selection of 10 teams, each receiving €3M in non-dilutive funding
    • Multiple phases with progressive funding and selection
    • Full freedom to experiment, pivot, and pursue bold hypotheses
    • A long-term pathway toward up to €1B per team for those ready to scale globally

    The objective of the early phases is not to produce a finished frontier lab, but to identify and prepare exceptional teams capable of scaling transformative AI systems over the long term.

    Who should apply

    The initiative is aimed at:

    • AI researchers, engineers, and technical builders
    • Small, highly skilled teams (typically 3–5 people)
    • Existing startups or newly formed teams
    • Applicants with bold visions – entrepreneurial experience is not required

    SPRIN-D supports participating teams not only with funding, but also with company-building support and ecosystem access.

    Europe at the center

    Next Frontier AI is designed to strengthen European AI sovereignty by building AI systems in Europe, aligned with European values, markets, and industrial needs while remaining globally competitive. Cyber Valley is one of Europe’s leading AI and robotics ecosystems. We are amplifying these initiatives to reach frontier builders in Europe and Europeans working abroad who may be ready to come back.

    All details on eligibility, timelines, and the application process are available on the Next Frontier AI website. 

    If you want to join the challenge, sign up here: https://next-frontier.ai/join

    For deeper context on the vision behind Next Frontier AI, listen to the SPRIN-D podcast episode with Mirko Holzer and Dr. Johannes Otterbach. 

  • Mirelo AI: Shaping the Future of AI from Cyber Valley

    Mirelo AI: Shaping the Future of AI from Cyber Valley

    Carl Johann Simon-Gabriel’s career exemplifies the successful translation of cutting-edge research into entrepreneurial innovation. After completing his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Bernhard Schölkopf at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen, he spent several years working in leading technology companies in the United States before co-founding Mirelo AI.

    Mirelo AI develops generative AI models capable of producing high-quality, production-ready sound effects directly from video content. This technology addresses a largely untapped area of audiovisual production and offers substantial potential for applications in film, gaming, and advertising.

    Founded in 2023, since joining the Cyber Valley Startup Network in 2024, Mirelo AI has become a strong example of how scientific excellence, ambitious vision, and effective execution converge within the region’s AI ecosystem. The successful completion of this seed round underscores both the company’s potential and the international relevance of the Cyber Valley research and innovation environment.

    Image: Flügelmann

    At the Demo Day of the Cyber Valley AI Incubator (Batch #6), Carl Johann Simon-Gabriel participated as a keynote speaker, sharing insights from his entrepreneurial journey and inspiring the next generation of founders. Reflecting on his experience, he noted:

    “Cyber Valley is a great initiative for emerging AI startups, especially because it is rooted in Tübingen’s world-renowned AI research scene and its talent pool.”

    Mirelo AI is continuing to expand its team and is actively recruiting talent to develop next-generation generative AI models for audio and video. Open positions are available on the company’s website: Mirelo.ai

    Related Start-Ups

    • Mirelo AI

      Mirelo AI

  • Cyber Valley at Heilbronn Slush’D

    Cyber Valley at Heilbronn Slush’D

    Heilbronn Slush’D is organized by Campus Founders, a start-up and innovation hub based in Heilbronn. The event was sold out, with over 1,000 participants from across Europe taking part in talks, panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions. The festival enabled start-ups and founders to connect with key stakeholders and develop their ideas.

    For CELLnROLL (recipients of the Cyber Valley Innovation Fellowship Program) Heilbronn Slush’D was ‘an inspiring event bringing together founders, investors, and innovation leaders from across Europe.’ Following the event, they were ‘inspired, energized, and full of new ideas for what’s next!’

    Maximilian Bode, Co-founder of Cyber Valley Start-up Biocompile, was in attendance for the first time: ‘Despite the bad weather, it was a great experience!’ For Max, events like Heilbronn Slush’D are ‘places where the most interesting people meet.’

    Maximilian Bode (Biocompile) at Heilbronn Slush'D. Photo courtesy of Maximilian Bode.

    Maximilian Bode (Biocompile) at Heilbronn Slush’D. Photo courtesy of Maximilian Bode

    Johanna Kreßel from the University of Tübingen’s Startup Center also shared her impressions from her first time at Heilbronn Slush’D: ‘I really enjoyed the energy and open atmosphere that made it so easy to connect and have meaningful conversations.’

    Johanna Kreßel at Heilbronn Slush'D. Photo courtesy of Johanna Kreßel

    Johanna Kreßel (Tübingen Startup Center) at Heilbronn Slush’D. Photo courtesy of Johanna Kreßel

    KIT Gründerschmiede took part too. For them, Heilbronn Slush’D ‘was again a real experience – not only because of the wild weather, but above all because of the incredible energy that could be felt between impulses on stage, networking around the campfire, and conversations at the food trucks.’

    KIT Gründerschmeide at Heilbronn Slush'D

    KIT Gründerschmiede at Heilbronn Slush’D. Photo courtesy of KIT Gründerschmiede

    Members of the Cyber Valley Start-up Network have been recognized at previous iterations of the festival. Ventus Technologies secured the top prize of €100,000 in investment in 2023, followed by Tabularis AI claiming the same award in 2024. These examples show how Cyber Valley start-ups have benefited from the support provided by Campus Founders at Heilbronn Slush’D.

    By attending Heilbronn Slush’D, members of the Cyber Valley Community demonstrated the value of collaboration and were impressed by the growing momentum in Heilbronn. Through their scientific expertise and diverse perspectives, they are playing an essential role in the success of Germany’s research and innovation ecosystem.

    Photo courtesy of Heilbronn Slush’D

  • UTokyo IPC and Cyber Valley launch ‘Valley and Sunrise’

    UTokyo IPC and Cyber Valley launch ‘Valley and Sunrise’

    The Valley and Sunrise program originates from a strategic partnership between Cyber Valley, Europe’s leading center for excellence in AI and modern robotics, and UTokyo IPC, the venture investment arm of the University of Tokyo. It opens up UTokyo IPC’s academic and corporate networks to Cyber Valley start-ups, accelerating their market entry and commercialization in Japan and offering them a competitive advantage in global markets.

    Selected start-ups will receive:

    • Up to €50,000 in financial support for initial market entry.
    • Access to Japanese corporate executives, strategic investors, and regulatory expertise.
    • Customized Proof of Concept (PoC) partnerships with top-tier Japanese enterprises. 
    • Six months of personalized mentorship, networking opportunities, and guidance for successful market integration.

    Applications for Valley and Sunrise will be open from November 5 until December 5, 2025, with selected start-ups beginning the program in spring 2026. Up to two start-ups from the Cyber Valley Start-up Network will participate in the program. 

    Florian Mayer, Managing Director, Cyber Valley GmbH:

    ‘The Valley and Sunrise program offers German start-ups a unique opportunity to gain insights and connections in one of the world’s most advanced economies. The program encourages cross-border innovation between Germany and Japan, supporting deep-tech start-ups from the Cyber Valley ecosystem in Baden-Württemberg to thrive on a global scale.’

    Angelina Jukic, Program Manager, Cyber Valley GmbH:

    ‘This initiative has come to life through our close collaboration with UTokyo IPC. The Valley and Sunrise program turns our shared vision into reality – connecting German AI and robotics start-ups with Japan’s leading investors, corporates, and researchers, and strengthening collaboration between our two innovation ecosystems.’

    Hideki Nagasaka, Partner & Director, 1stRound, UTokyo IPC:

    ‘Through our collaboration with Cyber Valley, we are building a truly global platform, empowering German start-ups not only to succeed in the Japanese market but also to thrive internationally. We envision a dynamic ecosystem where innovation seamlessly flows between Germany, Japan, and beyond, creating lasting global impact.’

    About UTokyo IPC

    UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. (UTokyo IPC) is a venture capital firm wholly owned by the University of Tokyo, established in 2016 to strengthen Japan’s global industrial competitiveness through startup investment and ecosystem building.

    As a public–private venture capital firm, UTokyo IPC has invested in more than 80 university-affiliated startups and venture funds both in Japan and overseas.
    Beyond investment, UTokyo IPC operates the Startup Building Program, which supports the commercialization of research outcomes; 1stRound, Japan’s largest academia-linked accelerator; and DeepTech Dive, a program dedicated to cultivating deep-tech talent. In 2024, UTokyo IPC launched the ASA Fund under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s initiative to promote global collaboration and establish Japan as a hub for deep-tech innovation.

    About Cyber Valley

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.  
     

    Media Contact

    Hazel Rowland, Cyber Valley GmbH: hazel.rowland@cyber-valley.de
    Akiko Tsuchiya, UTokyo IPC: info2@utokyo-ipc.co.jp